Ablation stent for treating atrial fibrillation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for treating atrial fibrillation with ablation therapy in which a stent is deployed within a pulmonary vein and tissue surrounding the stent is ablated with radiofrequency energy to stop discharges from ectopic foci in the vein from reaching the left atrium. The deployed stent can then be left in place to prevent stenosis of the vein as well as allowing repeat ablation procedures as needed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 298,738, filed on Jun. 15, 2001, under 35 U.S.C. 119(e).FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention pertains to methods for treating atrial tachyarrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for treating atrial fibrillation by ablation therapy.BACKGROUND[0003]Fibrillation refers to a condition in which muscle fibrils enter a state of extremely rapid, small-scale contractions that do not coordinate to effect contraction of the muscle as a whole. When this occurs in the left ventricle, the heart chamber responsible for pumping blood into the arterial vasculature, it is serious and rapidly fatal. When it occurs in the musculature of the atria, it is less immediately serious and not necessarily fatal. It is still important to treat atrial fibrillation, however, for several reasons. First, atrial fibrillation i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]An objective of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for pulmonary vein ablation in order to treat atrial fibrillation. In accordance with the invention, a stent catheter having a stent mounted thereon is introduced into the left atrium of a patient. The stent is deployed by expansion of the stent within a pulmonary vein or ostium of the vein. The stent expansion may be performed with a balloon at the distal end of the stent catheter or by a self-expanding stent. Tissue surrounding the deployed stent is then ablated to stop discharges from ectopic foci in the vein from reaching the left atrium. After the ablation, the stent is left in place in order to prevent stenosis of the vein.

Problems solved by technology

When this occurs in the left ventricle, the heart chamber responsible for pumping blood into the arterial vasculature, it is serious and rapidly fatal.

First, atrial fibrillation is associated with a loss of atrio-ventricular synchrony which can be hemodynamically compromising and cause such symptoms as dyspnea, fatigue, vertigo, and angina.

Accordingly, catheter techniques have been developed for ablating these sites with radiofrequency energy applied from within the pulmonary veins, but electrophysiological mapping of such sites is difficult.

An effective circumferential lesion must be completely continuous, however, and this means that the ablation device must be precisely located within the vein or ostium, which may be difficult to accomplish.

Furthermore, a common complication of this procedure is pulmonary venous stenosis resulting from scarring within the pulmonary vein which has variable clinical consequences.

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